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Spoiler Alert! It's recommended you do not read the following unless you have finished both Neon Genesis Evangelion (anime and manga versions), as well as the theatrical ending, Death & Rebirth. Got any questions or comments about this review? Message me. Enjoy!

"Neon Genesis Evangelion.
My god, what a journey it's been."

I've said this phrase a total of three times after seeing the anime/rebuilds, Death & Rebirth, and finally the manga. I have to say though, neither of the first two were as refreshing as the third. (In this review, I refer to both the anime and Death & Rebirth as one component of the series)

Neon ... Genesis Evangelion, although completed in both anime/movie form long before the manga, received critical acclaim from viewers and critics, ranging from absolute adoration to confusion or even disgust. As a viewer, I found myself stuck in the middle of this range. Sure, Evangelion had it's high points and it's low points, but what made it difficult for me to enjoy Evangelion in it's anime form was the strange, rushed characterization that often made complete one-eighties.

Before anyone rushes to the instant conclusion that I didn't like the original anime version of Evangelion, let me tell you that I truthfully did. The issue was that the characters, for the lack of a more coherent explanation, were just unable to be connected to on an emotional level to me as a viewer. This is a key part that I really loved while I was reading the manga. I can't completely explain this feeling, just how it's difficult to explain happiness or sadness, but I just felt more - there - along with Shinji, Asuka, and Rei, as well as their challenges and their search for the reason behind there existences. This was something that the anime just couldn't give me, and whether that was just me being me, or a shared opinion, I'm not too sure.

Now, what differences (as there are many), did I like and dislike pertaining to the manga version of Evangelion? Well, for starters, I couldn't be happier with the differences in Shinji. Now I know a lot of people cry about how much of a *cough*puss*cough* Shinji was during the anime. That's true, but I felt that the fault in this l lied not with Shinji's personality and his frailty, but the difficulty in pinpointing his true character. Was he an idiot? A coward? Did he just not care? Did he find no meaning in life? Or did he? I was puzzled during the entire anime about his true nature. Sure, he is a loser and a coward, but during the angel attacks, there were certain times where he manned up and dug down deep.

In the manga, Shinji often steps up and puts his life on the line instead of hiding and crying during many of the parts in the anime. In fact, a lot of seemingly pointless parts of the anime don't exist in the manga. These parts include: many parts where Shinji wusses out, quite a few of the unnecessary Seele portions, and even that creepy and strange part where Shinji masturbates to a comatose Asuka (thank god). Some new parts that I didn't see in the manga which I deeply enjoyed were Asuka's false attraction to Kaji, more insight into the past of both Kaji and Misato (and their relationship), a better and more fulfilling relationship between Shinji and Asuka/Rei/Kaworu, as well as learning a lot more about Shinji's father and his mother's relationship to Rei.

One of the major pluses for the manga was the fact that it provided me with a more clear and concise personality of all the characters, especially Shinji. Even so, Shinji was a coward at times, Asuka could be stubborn and impersonal, and Rei could be an empty, emotionless husk at certain points. But what separates the manga from the anime is that, in the end, each personality ties together instead of leaving you with a handful of loose straws.

Another personality point I liked was more insight into Rei and the background of Nerv. Who is Rei? Who was Gendo? What are the Angels? The EVAs? You will, as a reader, find every one of these questions answered, and, I can grant you, in a much more fulfilling manner than the anime presented.

In both the anime and in the manga, Rei starts off as the same quiet and emotionless being she is, and ends up, for the most part, becoming a warmer and more "human" human with the assistance and influence of Shinji. The difference, though, is how each media takes it's path to that destination. In the anime, Rei meets Shinji, and has multiple encounters that changes her outlook on her own opinion of herself and others. Despite having enough encounters to seemingly change her personality, a lot of the change and reactions in Rei are left up to the viewer to comprehend and interpret. The manga, though, often assumes a first person point of view from Ayanami herself, and you can hear her thoughts and her memories. There's a lot more development between the two of the in the manga than in the anime, and it all just feels more coherent.

So what was the deciding factor for me? What was the big bombshell that finally and instantly decided which was superior? For me, that absolutely has to be the final 15 chapters. Why? Well let's just say that both the end of the anime (which ran out of funding) and Death & Rebirth left a rather strange and puzzling taste in my mouth that I wanted to try to replace with a better memory of Evangelion.

For starters, I was absolutely delighted with the chapter where Asuka fights the replica EVAs. Remember in the anime movie ending where Asuka was fighting to the death while Shinji chickened out due to indecision in the cage, which led to Asuka getting ripped apart? Haha. I laugh at that memory. Let me say it now. Not. Here. No feeling was greater for me during the entirety of the manga than when Shinji stepped up and decided to fight. And guess what? He saves her. It may have only been temporarily, but Shinji did what he promised and he protected her.

Another part of the last few chapters I loved were the differences between Death & Rebirth and the manga during the part between the fight with the replica EVAs and the ending. These parts include, but are not limited to: Ritsuko being able to shoot Gendo in the end, Misato's last memory of Kaji, Shinji's mother paying a final visit to Gendo AND Gendo's acceptance of Shinji as a symbol of their love, Rei's final encounter with Shinji, and his meeting with his mother before the end.

The final part of the manga left me with an amazing feeling. After watching Shinji strangling Asuka on the beach in Death & Rebirth, I was confused and puzzled, despite being a little bit satisfied. But the manga left a different, more conclusive final impression. Shinji, with the aid of his mother, decides that people should return to existence if they wish. In the ending scene, Shinji is riding a train to Tokyo in a world where knowledge of the angels and EVAs never existed, an alternate reality that Shinji created (although Rei and Gendo are not alive in this world). When he leaves the platform, he bumps into a happy Asuka as well as Kensuke in a chance encounter, despite neither of the three having memory of the other. When they depart on their own paths with their own futures, it is unknown whether or not they will ever meet again. As he leaves the station, Shinji decides to stand strong on his own two feet, and believes that no matter how much he goes through, the sun will always shine at the ending - a lesson that he had been learning since the moment he stepped into EVA Unit 01.

It's a bittersweet ending to me, similar to those of FMA Brotherhood, Angel Beats, Mirai Nikki, and Higurashi, but it feels alright. I tell myself, "this is how it should be". Am I right? I'm not sure. But if there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that this Shinji is happy, this Asuka is happy, and Rei made the decision she felt she should've. Will they ever meet again? I don't know. I guess they should, but this is good enough...for now.

So I guess non-pussy Shinji gets a good ending, huh?
He really deserved it.

Saitama is a man-turned-hero who underwent three years of extreme training. As a result, Saitama has becoming incredibly strong (and bald) and is able to end every fight with just a single punch. He thirsts for the exciting rush of combat. The problem is...he's too strong?

One Punch-Man takes a comical yet thought provoking look at strength, justice, and ambition. It's thoroughly enjoyable to watch the heroes struggle to defeat a villain just to have Saitama walk in and finish it off in one, effortless punch. His strength and his never-ending struggle to find an opponent who can survive a single punch leads him to ... great frustration, despite seeming to be an average guy at first.

One Punch-Man also takes on the typical good-and-evil struggle as well as the theme of ambition. Watching Saitama take Genos under his wing (although it wasn't really a choice) is interesting. The different ambitions and ideals of the heroes can lead to hilarious and thought provoking moments, be it running in fear at pathetic looking fish creatures, or refusing to help out a civilian in need, almost every little hero you see has a personality that'll make you laugh or turn your nose in disgust.

The art in One Punch-Man would probably be one of it's weaker points out of all it's strengths. It's not bad, but it's nothing to be really proud of. It's just...normal. Nothing wrong with that. What I do like about the art is that certain characters are drawn to fit their personalities. Genos is over-detailed in order to fit his dutiful and perfectionist nature. Saitama looks like he was ripped out of some poorly-drawn sketchbook in order to align with his "average" facade and for quite a bit of comical effect. Heroes and villains are drawn appropriately whether they think they're god or they're afraid of the smallest thing.

As of right now, there hasn't been a great deal of character development, but you can really see it forming at the edges. Saitama, for the most part, seems to be a static character that the story revolves around (maybe he'll find a worth opponent). Speed of Sound Sonic (mind the long name) may one day lose a bit of his ego, and Genos might realize the cowardice and pride of his peers. What do I want to see the most? Personally, I find the Saitama's struggle with his own strength to be one of the most interesting and enjoyable aspects of this manga.

I have to say that this manga is a real surprise to me. Out of the many superhero based mangas that try to beat each other, One Punch-Man effortlessly rises above the competition in a single punch. Out of the many mangas that I am following, One Punch-Man is the most entertaining and enjoyable. Anyone who is looking for a refreshing and funny manga should not hesitate to pick this up.

Angel Beats. I have to say that this review will not be very pretty, so anyone without an open mind should turn around immediately and read another rave review. I also assume you've finished the series. For those who are still here, let's start again. Angel Beats. Certainly the feel is different than the ordinary and the storyline is different than what you might usually see. Sure, it pulls at some strings in your heart. And it's worth a good laugh once in a while.

Overall, Angel Beats is the setting for a wonderful and fun anime that would be enjoyed by everyone. It is enjoyed, ... and I myself enjoyed it as well. But there's a fundamental problem here. For the staggering number of characters, the intriguing setting, the mechanics of the world, and the character relationships, thirteen episodes is simply not enough.

No I'm not saying I'm angry because Angel Beats was bad. Don't get me wrong, I liked it. I'm not angry at what Angel beats was, I was angry at what it could've been. See, with thirteen episodes things are explained rather quickly and the emotional developments and connections built between the characters and the viewer are built slowly in the first few episodes, but are rushed as fast as the speed of light through the next few episodes.

Could the studio have pulled off Angel Beats just right with 13 episodes? Sure. Series like Baccano and Shiki have a vast number of characters and complex mechanics withing their settings, but manage to pull them off by 13 episodes, and rather well at that. In Angel Beats, nothing made me more frustrated that, given 13 episodes to write a beautiful story, the studio decides to add in 5-6 episodes of filler!

I'm extremely disappointed by the decision to add filler to a 13 episode anime. With only a one season run, it's in my (and I feel many)'s belief that the story has to be straightforward and focused. Sure, the filler does give a bit of characterization, but with the exception of 4-5 major characters, development is simply too broad to be considered acceptable. At the end, sure you feel a lot of emotions rushing through you, but if you look closely enough these feelings are tied together rather weakly. They even go as far as to skip all the goodbyes to the characters who weren't the most focused on. That's just....lazy...

So overall, the art is amazing and the OPs and EDs are incredibly addictive. It's enjoyable. I'll give you that. But it could've been much better. If you really enjoyed this anime, I would encourage you to speak out. To demand a remake. This time with more dedication, effort, and focus than the lazy story-telling Angel Beats presented to me. Was it good? Yes. But it just could've been so much more.

Everyone who reads manga or watches anime has surely seen a scenario like this. Money on the line, lives on the table: a fight to the death. That's what happens in Life is Money...but it's not how you imagine it. There's no physical violence allowed - so how do you kill? The truth is more disturbing than you think.

Quite possibly one of the most under-appreciated manga out there, Life is Money is truly a psychological manga, yet retains many shounen elements. There's a hero, a villain, an intriguing story, and interesting characters. Let's hear a bit about the story:

Meguru Fukurokouji is in need of 100 ... million dollars for an urgent heart transplant for his beloved sister, who could die at any point. Taking out a life insurance policy, he decides to become a martyr so his sister can live on. But wait. At the end of his rope and about to say his final goodbye to the world, he is approached by a man who offers him 100 million dollars. All he has to do is win a game, although there's a chance he might die. Then again, it beats his chances of surviving a 5 story drop from a bridge.

Soon he finds himself among ten others who are just as expectant as him. Black Tapia (the black - man? - with horns) appears and tells the group of the rules of the game they must play. Each player must survive a grueling ten days inside a prison complex. Simple, right? There's entertainment, a fitness room, even a relaxing music room. Everything seems great until they discover the other rule. In this prison, each player's heart rate cannot exceed a limit, or they will be subject to a "mental prison", a horrifying form of death.

In addition, each day they must roll a dice to determine which of the five senses they possess will be "disabled" for the day. Roll a five? You're not allowed to hear. Roll a two? You can't taste. Roll a six? Everything resets. It's a painful and grueling ten days in what can be described as no less than hell.

Art is, in general, good. Backgrounds are nice, but not great. Characters are also sufficiently detailed. All in all though, I have to say that the art just doesn't go above and beyond the necessary. That's all right though, as the story covers for it.

Character development is great. You get to see Meguru meet and interact with the other nine people and learn about each. You see him go from depressed to wimp to badass to hopeful. The weakness here is that some other characters are not as well developed, some not at all. Whereas you learn a lot about Meguru and his friends, you fail to learn barely anything about Black Tapia and 2-3 of the players. Although this is not exactly necessary, it would've been helpful to many readers.

Overall, a great and fun read. Even though it's short, it definitely shouldn't be missed by anyone who enjoys a good story. It's very under-appreciated, and it needs more popularity. Don't hesistate to pick it up: it's short and there's little commitment. I'm sure you won't regret it. Thank for reading and I'll see you in my next review.

Even though we all know who the humans were and who the vampires were, one question still stands above all: Who were the true demons?

Out of the vast sea of modern-day vampire stories, very rarely does a story about vampires stick to it''s true core: vampires. And by vampires I don't mean the romantic albino superhumans, the ecchi vampires (who barely pass as vampires), or even the badass characters from most shounen vampire animes. What I really mean when I say vampire is the classic 16th century vampire; the root story, if you please. These vampires don't get free superpowers that make them invincible, nor ... are they instantly all powerful. These vampires lurk in the shadows. Like the tales told by many in 16th century London, these vampires are secretive, cunning predators who live off human blood - it's not a fun choice, it's a forced lifestyle. Get it? Once you become a vampire, well....you're a vampire! For better or worse.

What exactly am I getting at? Well that's what Shiki is all about. The title, "corpse demon" is extremely representative of it's true nature. These vampires are not friends, nor are they to be trusted. To put it simply, they're demons. Let's get to the story:

The story itself, for being a tale about vampires, is very feasible, and what really struck home to me was how realistic the initial reception of the effects of the vampires are. There are none. As usual, the setting is in a small and confined rural town. At first, the vampire presence is simply a new disease to Ozaki Toshio, the trusted town doctor, a methodological man who is passionate about his work. Soon, it becomes an epidemic as body after body begins to pile up. Now, does he immediately find out the true cause of the "epidemic"? No. It takes a while, and even after he makes his decision he is reluctant to accept the truth. That's what makes this anime interesting and fresh.

The other main character is Yuuki Natsuno, a boy who has moved to Sotoba recently from the city. Yuuki is a very interesting yet important character, despite the fact that at no point does Yuuki actually contribute to the investigation of the disease or do anything to stop it (until very late in). His true role is to play the foil to doctor Toshio, experiencing the effects of the vampires torment on the town firsthand. You have your outside and methodological point of view, as well as your inside man, who experiences the fear first hand.

Something that makes the vampires really believable is the fact that they cannot walk into the sunlight. They have their weaknesses (be they smart, or rather silly). The other more important note that makes Shiki a believable story is the fact that, with only a few exceptions, no character is safe. Be it a new supporting character or a main character, anyone can go at any time.

Art is good, although the animation is choppy at a few scenes. Whether or not this is on purpose or accidental is a center of controversy, but I felt that body movements fit the mood of the story. The voice acting is superb, and quite believable, if it's the strong, fearful, or the weak and feeble. The OPs are quite addictive and match the plot well, so hats off to the bands. Background music fits the mood almost all the time with eerie music and nice sound effects that are fitting.

Character development deserves an honorable mention as well, as Shiki does a good job at playing psychological angles. Whether you're watching the doctor slowly grow cold, the priest sympathetic, resolves strengthening, or hearts being broken, Shiki never fails to succeed. Biases and stereotypes that run about the idea of a small town are, for the lack of a better word, scary. I nearly shit myself and my blood ran cold when I saw how easily and quickly the townspeople had adapted to the vampires and the slaughter.

Overall, I must say, Shiki is a list topper for me. The smart plot and the characters really set it in stone. Fear-wise though, the horror in Shiki is absolutely nothing compared to the psychological fear. The moral dilemmas the characters are presented with and the instinct to survive are in constant conflict, making it thought provoking yet cold-hearted. How quickly the humans adapt to becoming vampires, killing (on both ends), and the choice to die or survive makes this show truly entertaining to watch. It is quite honestly the best anime I have seen in a long time. No one should hesitate to watch it, and I'll see you in my next review.

As one of possibly many who saw the original Hellsing before this OVA, let me begin by saying that the original Hellsing made me angry. Very angry. Not because it was simply bad, but because the author sold the rights to the animation to Gonzo (don't even get me started about Gonzo) before the manga was at a state where it was capable to keep up. Therefore we end up with an incomplete anime adaption of Hellsing that only spans around 10 chapters out of the over 90 chapters, the ending (if I can call it one) of which is scraped together by god-knows-who. Don't ... watch it. Unless you like pain. But that's your problem and not mine, so let's start:

Alucard (that's Dracula backwards) is an age-old handgun-toting vampire that works for the secret Hellsing organization. Due to certain circumstances, a police woman by the name of Seras Victoria is saved, or rather killed, by Alucard and becomes his underling vampire. It is here that Seras becomes a member of Hellsing, who's mission is to keep the supernatural under control (and kick some serious ass). And yes, to back up the stereotype, they do fight priests (the Catholic church must have an impeccable training program) as well as the evil organization Millenium. And Neo-Nazis. I'm not joking.

The art is absolutely gorgeously eye-popping, and more so for being an OVA. The colors are vibrant and the textures used match each character and background very well (that's Madhouse for you). Following up to this, the animation is almost flawless, especially during the fighting scenes. Every drop of blood is visible if you pause to gaze at them. Character movements, despite how rapid, are fluid and natural and give a much more life-like appearance. The animators must really have a deep pocket.

Characters, although they may not be the main point of the series, are actually quite well developed. We manage to learn a lot about the characters, specifically about Alucard and his past (how he came to become a vampire, what he did, how he entered Hellsing, etc.), but also the other major supporting characters. Not only do the characters change throughout the course of the series, but their results will leave you satisfied, be it with a straight face or a stupid grin. All that aside, what you really need to know (characterization-wise) is: Guns. Get. Bigger.

I have to say that Hellsing Ultimate is the most straight-up fun series I have ever had the pleasure of watching. If you want to see a budding romance between a vampire (or perhaps an albino, a happy comedy, or a kid bawl his eyes out about being afraid to enter a robot to save the world for 26 episodes, you are in the wrong place. Turn back! But if you want to watch pure bloody awesomeness in anime form, don't hesitate to pick this series up. Thank you and I will see you in my next review.

"A man is born alone and dies alone; and he experiences the good and bad consequences of his karma alone; and he goes alone to hell or the Supreme abode."
-Chanakya

Death Billiards. In a bar, two men, one old, one young, arrive through an elevator and sit down at the bar. The waiter brings them their drinks, although neither man can recall how they arrived. In this bar, they are forced to play a game of billiards. The stake? Their lives. Although the premise of this bet may be deeper than it seems.

The story is as deep as one can be made in only 25 minutes, ... which I must say, is quite impressive. The young man plays a good foil to the old man, and the setting and exposition is well done. Only one minute in, the viewer knows all he or she needs to drive the story. The development is outstanding, although there is a bit of shallowness at certain points, but mostly due to the short amount of time allotted. Not only is the story original, but also interesting (despite a few attention grabbers).

The art is amazing with the amount of money given towards its production and is animated by the same studio that animated many other major works which include Beck, Black Lagoon, Death Note, Hajime no Ippo, HunterxHunter, and many other notable animes. Sound is also phenomenal, and the voice acting in particular is extremely convincing, expecially the coldness of the waiter and the accent of the old man.

Characters, for what little screen time they get in 25 minutes, are developed as well as they could be. There is seriously a large space for improvement if more time was allotted, so the development, in general, was much more broad. The creator does enough characterization to get his message across though, so no worries. We learn about the old man, the young man, and even a bit about the bar itself.

The plot twists toward the ending are surprising, yet comfortably fathomable. The ending itself is wonderful, although it may take a bit of replaying to truly understand. It is comforting, but slightly painful, and I'm sure that viewers will feel that the producers went the wrong way about it.

*spoiler alert*
Let me ask you this: What is more representative of a human's true nature. The destination he ultimately arrives at, or the path that he takes to get there?
*spoiler alert*

Death Billiards is an entertaining and thought provoking anime that will leave viewers thinking, not only through the anime, but a long time after it's over. The story is compelling and anyone looking for a good story should definitely watch this. It's short, so there's not much commitment involved. But you might just want to watch it a second time...I'll see you in my next review.

1st anime review, please excuse me if I am prejudiced.
Gakutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo is an anime loosely based off of the book of the same name. Before I begin, allow me to say with confidence that the book is in almost every way superior to the anime. That ought to spark some controversy. With that, let's begin with the differences between the book and the anime:

The story, as previously stated, follows the 19th century novel, but takes place in a future filled with aliens, spaceships, and the supernatural. The characters are all more or less similar to those in the book but with ... changes in some areas. This includes Albert Morcerf becoming the main character (a supporting role in the book) as well as entailing his own life much more closely than that of the count's. Furthermore, the count is much less developed than in the anime.

Something that really disappointed me was the fact that very little insight was given into the count's circumstances, even when they were revealed. In the book, Dangler's daughter is not engaged to Albert but rather runs away from home. Beyond that and a few other details, the characters and the story are just about the same up until the end.

Albert Morcerf is the son of aristocrat and general Morcerf and engaged to Eugenie Danglers, as well as being friends with Franz D'Epinay (all names that correspond with the book). While attending an aristocrat party, Albert is enticed by the strange and illusive Count of Monte Cristo, whose recent appearance has stirred up quite the controversy. His relationship with the count and the underlying story drive the plot.

Art is great, but can be easily under-appreciated. Each character or background's texture is, at most times, not a real texture but rather a single solid image in the background that moves as the camera would move. Besides this, the art is great and I feel like it has it's own kind of style to it that the studio or artist gave out of personal interest, and doing otherwise would upset the mood of the story. Sound is also great with no wrongs to speak of.

Characters are what gets me in this review. I think a lot of people will agree with me when I think that there were some homosexual themes to this story (Albert's relationship with Peppo, Franz, the Count, etc.) that I couldn't put out of my mind, but I eventually set those aside. I was really ticked off at how naive Albert was (even though it drove the story), which became incredible at some points. Besides this I found the character development and the characters themselves to be great, not only in reflection of the book, but in their own right.

I was pleased to see that the Count was as illustrative and grand as he should be, Albert as trusting as he may be, and Maximilian the same good-hearted person he was always portrayed as. Character traits exclusive to the anime were also well done. Franz's friendship with Albert was well done and Maximilien's resentment of the aristocracy was very realistic. What I couldn't wrap my head around was parts of the supernatural elements that were not explained thoroughly enough, as well as Peppo (no idea why he/she was in this). Some of the scenes of betrayal are hard to believe but other areas are done just right (i.e. Haydee's confession, the Count's revenge, many of the deaths, etc.)

Overall though, I must say that the anime is still amazing and lives up to the book. I urge anyone and everyone to see this, but even more so to read Dumas's original work in order to better appreciate the anime. So hate if you will, I still find the book superior, but the anime cannot have it's own name for borrowing so much from the book. I would only consider it an animated version of the book (which is, in actuality, pretty awesome). Watch it, read it, and I will see you in my next review.

Bakuman: What better theme to center a manga around then....manga? This idea may seem ludicrous at first (and for the life of me, I have no idea how Tsugumi Ohba sold this idea) but it works. It works well, to say the least. Without further ado, let's delve into the story:

The story is centered around Mashiro Mortitaka, nephew of a late gag manga artist who committed suicide. During school, Mashiro passes the time using his artistic skill to admire Azuki Miho. One day, he realizes he's leaves his notebook at school. When he goes to retrieve it, it's there that he comes face-to-face with Takagi ... Akito, a quiet boy who sits in the back of the class. Takagi, who has seen Mashiro's sketches of Miho, hands the notebook back to Mashiro while hinting at the reciprocity of his feelings. Just before Mashiro can take the notebook, Takagi offers an intresting proposal: "I want you to write a manga with me". And so the story of love, ambition, and - manga - begins.

The meaning title "Bakuman" has never really been announced, but many devoted fans believe it to mean fighting (baku) manga (man for short). Bakuman is a story about love, passion, and ambition, which can seem blind at times, but beautiful at others. Bakuman may be a story but also gives the reader many insights on the world of a mangaka and just how difficult and stressful it can be. This manga is classified as a shounen genre, and I suppose it should be. Instead of monsters, characters fight against deadlines. In the place of training, they search for new ideas. There are heros, and there are villans, which is an incredible feat for a story like this, although I'd expect nothing less from the author of Death Note (yes, both are his works). The story is smart, brash, brave, heartwarming and deserving of a genre of its own.

The art, if you've read Death Note, starts out with almost the same style (as the artist is the same). Backgrounds are dark and lines are a bit thick, and each panel retains the same dark mood until you get a few chapters in, where it makes a transition. The art becomes more casual and character expressions are lighter, almost comical. Overall though, the art is amazing (the first line of this paragraph should've explained that). The artist himself, Takeshi Obata, is an extremely experienced artist who has worked on many works.

The character development is great, but is slightly slow to start with. Characters remain static after introduction, especially at the start of the story. From there, you learn about every character. Each character and mangaka's personalities are polished until they shine. As previously stated, a huge theme in this book is about ambition and resolve. The question that is often given to the reader is whether or not a character will stick to their ideals and their resolve. This, of course, is not always true, and sometimes you see characters that change for the better, and some for the worse. But don't misunderstand. This is a shounen manga. And the battle that is waged is not only physical, but emotional too. There's a fight in each character that is a true joy to watch and cheer on.

Overall, this manga is absolutely wonderful, despite what some may call a short ending (although I believe that the ending was as long as it needed to be to serve the purpose of the story). I truly enjoyed reading this manga, and anyone who has an interest in simply learning a bit more about the medium you love, or simply searching for a great story should not hesitate to pick it up.

"The idea of redemption is always good news, even if it means sacrifice or some difficult times." - Patti Smith

It's never too late for redemption. Onani Master Kurosawa is a slightly disturbed, funny, heart-wrenching, heartwarming, beautiful story that seems like a perverted or erotic story at first. Although these appearances are often, they serve the purpose of characterizing Kurosawa as the soft spoken yet shrewd person that he is.

This manga will make you cringe, it will make you disgusted, and it will make you angry. But it will teach you a lesson that life often tries to make across, but few really accept: people ... change. Let's get to the story.

When you first meet Kurosawa, it is doubtless that he appears to be a despicable and perverted boy under the guise of a quiet student. His "habit" in the girls bathroom shows his true nature, and continues for some while until he is discovered by Aya Kitahara, an equally reserved student who is consistently picked on. Chaos ensues. Every action that Kurosawa makes, every step that he takes, brings him ever closer to shame and heartbreak. The plot twists will pull you out of your seat and leave you full of anger and despair.

Art is good overall, and the artist has improved considerably since his previous works (including Molester Man) but still keeps the habit of leaving poorly developed backgrounds compared to characters. This plays well into the manga though as backgrounds pull forward when they are needed in certain scenes.

The character development is outstanding and is the best I have seen of almost any manga I have read. Watching Kurosawa, Kitahara, Takigawa, and even the supporting characters change and react to the story really puts the plot and characters on the same plane. Kurosawa's development through the story (although initially this may seem impossible to the reader) is brave, uplifting, and heartwarming, especially as you watch him learn empathy and sympathy. As the reader, you can really relate to Kurosawa even in his strange circumstances. The author builds you up to break you down, and back up again, all the while you can fully feel his happiness and his pain. The author can make characters make 180's or reveal their true nature at unpredictable angles.

This manga is one of my favorites and was an extremely enjoyable ride, something no one who enjoys manga should ever pass over. Words cannot do the beauty of this story justice.